charitable contributions

A few weeks ago, I took my car in to get its oil changed, etc, and got a ride to Duke with the shuttle service provided by the dealer. The driver and I got to talking about living in Orange County, and we got on the subject of the car club he is involved with. He mentioned that he was really mad at the big boss at Mark Jacobson Toyota, because his car club is holding a fundraiser for their annual scholarship fund, and he'd asked Jacobson for a donation and a car or two to show off at the car show. He says Jacobson turned him down flat. I suspect this is a true story, and am not particularly pleased (or surprised) at learning that Jacobson won't donate to a charity.

I'm guessing he doesn't pay his 'actors', either, all of whom look delighted to be allowed to be in a commercial on TV.

I have a love-hate relationship with North Carolina Public Radio (WUNC-FM) these days. On one hand, I consider them among the best sources of news here in the Triangle. And on the other hand, I consider them squarely in the pack of mainstream media lapdogs. So now that the station has started its annual on-air fundraising drive, I'm again torn about what to do.

Over the years, my wife and I have given a great deal of money to support WUNC. I helped create their capital campaign more than ten years ago to pay for new facilities and equipment. We also held a fundraiser at our house to help the station attract Dick Gordon from Boston.

And while the station does have some interesting coverage of North Carolina (The State of Things), their national news is pretty much the same old same old as everyone else delivers - softball bullshit from insiders who are complicit in the disastrous reign of King George. Cokie Roberts, in particular, is an embarrassing apologist for the Bush administration, despite rumors she's a Democrat. Her regular appearance on public radio has caused me to reset the station preferences in my truck on more than one occasion.